Gary Hooper to Hull

[jaemae2 0]

[quote user="Feedthewolf"][quote user="jaemae2"]Bolton and Rotherham were very tough competition last year. It was very impressive...[/quote]That goal against Rotherham was absolutely brilliant. Whether it''s against Barcelona or Barnstaple, it''s still a magnificent goal. I''m not saying he''s a great player, or even that he''s going to feature a large amount this season, but surely even you can see that he''s got a good eye for goal. He gets in good positions and is more clinical in front of goal than anyone else in the squad - nobody would say that Adam Le Fondre was a quality Premier League player, but he still developed a habit of popping up in the right place and snaffling goals. That doesn''t happen by accident or fluke, and I''d only be happy to see him go if we replace him with someone demonstrably more clinical in front of goal. That won''t come cheaply.[/quote]

It was a very good goal. I do agree with that. Too bad he can only create such a goal against a certain level of competition and anything above that competition he''s invisible. Even against that level of competition he doesn''t score many goals through doing something himself. That''s the problem with him as a soccer player. He needs a ball put directly on his foot within the 6 yard box the majority of the time, then needs space to actually do something with it as well. He doesn''t do anything to give himself that space though and his movement is dire. Acting like he''s this amazing player who can do so much damage against even mid to top table Championship clubs riles me.

[Van wink 2,994]

Hoops is a quality player, good vision,direct,gets the ball down and recovers his balance quickly, gets an accurate shot off with speed.

We don''t need to be getting rid of players of his quality, in fact we need to be signing them.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

[quote user="jaemae2"]It was a very good goal. I do agree with that. Too bad he can only create such a goal against a certain level of competition and anything above that competition he''s invisible. Even against that level of competition he doesn''t score many goals through doing something himself. That''s the problem with him as a soccer player. He needs a ball put directly on his foot within the 6 yard box the majority of the time, then needs space to actually do something with it as well. He doesn''t do anything to give himself that space though and his movement is dire. Acting like he''s this amazing player who can do so much damage against even mid to top table Championship clubs riles me.[/quote]''His movement is dire?'' You must be watching a different footballer, possibly in a different universe. He can''t play the lone striker role, that''s been established - the main reason for that is that he''ll very often come deep and show for the ball with his back to goal, then lay it off and peel off the defender, creating space behind him. Arriving from a deeper position is what often gives him the space in the penalty area to get good goalscoring opportunities - that''s movement and anticipation, that is. I think I also read that he gets his shots on target a greater percentage of the time than any of our other strikers.In the interests of balance, he does look like he''s added a bit of timber over the summer, and there is something about him that leads me to believe he thinks he''s better than he actually is. However, for someone to bring on with half an hour to go when you need some extra firepower, I think he could be really important for us this season.I don''t think Hooper''s a great player, far from it, but your lack of ability to see anything other than negatives leads me to believe he may have shat through your letterbox or something. I''m clearly not going to change your mind (and nor is any amount of weight of opinion against you on this subject), so I''ll just say I''d love him to prove you wrong this season. Enjoy your weekend! [:)]

[Van wink 2,994]

With you here Feedthewolf.

However what I find intersting is this dialogue( forgive me if I spelled it wrong) about a player "putting on timber" and this idea that there are a few fatty pro''s around.

That may well be the case in the lower leagues, or with senior quality players reaching the end of their career, eg Big John ( although I do believe he was already suffering with early stages of cancer when he joined us).

But for mainstream Champ or Prem professionals there is no way they are going to be unfit and play.

Some individuals can carry a bit of weight and be 100% fit! In fact the extra weight can improve their performance, but this idea that players ares are fat and unfit is just ludicrous. ( hope I spelled that right Mrs)

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

''Fat'' is a ridiculous word to use, I agree. But ''unfit'' is a relative concept. I don''t think it''s ludicrous to suggest that a player might be unfit in pre-season at all - last season Van Gaal publicly stated that Luke Shaw was way below the fitness levels he expected/required, and Shaw actually agreed with him.In the interests of avoiding anything potentially libellous, I would say that I am speaking generally here rather than about any player in particular (and based on my opinions rather than any inside knowledge), but over the summer ''break'' I think players will all behave differently. Some will probably do cardio and/or weights every day, eat well and act as they would during the season. Others may well feel they''ve earned the break, put their feet up, have a few beers and not eat as well - "Getting back into shape is what pre-season is for".What I will say about Hooper is to my eye, he does seem visibly larger than he was at the end of last season, and didn''t seem quite as sharp as he could (should?) be. I could be totally wrong, of course, but to suggest that every player is a model professional who keeps himself in tip-top condition even during the off-season is wide of the mark in my estimation. My apologies to Mr Hooper if my being optically challenged has cast aspersions on his character/fitness/dedication... [:)]

[Van wink 2,994]

No doubt that some players let themselves go a bit during the close season FTW, I''m pretty much agreeing with you. All I am saying is that by the time the season starts if players are unfit they will not see the pitch in the modern game.

Specifically regarding Hoops, to my eye he has always looked like a big lad, he was no different in the friendlies to what he was last season. Who knows for sure.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

All fair comment buddy.I put it down to the fit of those new shirts. Ironically, it''s the Hooped one that does him the fewest favours... [:)]Vadis, for example, seems to be built like a tank - is that because of his time out with injury, or is he actually an endomorph who''s actually as fit as a fiddle? Looking back through Google Images, I''d say that''s just his body shape.Look back at Hooper''s images, though, and the ones of him at Celtic circa 2011 show a much slimmer frame - even his face seems noticeably thinner to me. Might be that he was asked to ''beef up'' to deal with the physical requirements of the Premier League. Or maybe there''s just something wrong with my eyes and the wine has kicked in and I''m talking total garbage...

[Van wink 2,994]

Can''t see it to be honest.

Looking through google pics of him at Celtic and Norwich I wouldn''t say he had a much slimmer frame when he was in Scotland.

Yes he has matured, he is probably physically stronger than he was then, but that would be expected wouldn''t it.

[mrs miggins 0]

jaemae2 wrote the following post at 07/08/2015 9:13 PM:

"It was a very good goal. I do agree with that. Too bad he can only create such a goal against a certain level of competition and anything above that competition he''s invisible. Even against that level of competition he doesn''t score many goals through doing something himself. That''s the problem with him as a soccer player. He needs a ball put directly on his foot within the 6 yard box the majority of the time, then needs space to actually do something with it as well. He doesn''t do anything to give himself that space though and his movement is dire. Acting like he''s this amazing player who can do so much damage against even mid to top table Championship clubs riles me."

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When Hooper scores its normally a worldy, not just your usual striker tap ins (though thats what you''d/I''d expect from him). And he doesn''t just score great goals in the championship, but PL too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvWHKAse8dY

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

[quote user="Vanwink"]Can''t see it to be honest.

Looking through google pics of him at Celtic and Norwich I wouldn''t say he had a much slimmer frame when he was in Scotland.

Yes he has matured, he is probably physically stronger than he was then, but that would be expected wouldn''t it.[/quote]Yeah I guess so. Might have to back down on this one... [:)]

[jaemae2 0]

I''m not afraid to admit when he does something well. I''ll never argue that his technique when striking a ball is very impressive. The Swansea goal and Rotherham are perfect examples.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

[quote user="jaemae2"]I''m not afraid to admit when he does something well. I''ll never argue that his technique when striking a ball is very impressive. The Swansea goal and Rotherham are perfect examples.[/quote]Isn''t that something that could be useful to use this season, then, even in small doses? I don''t think many (if any) people are suggesting that he should be a regular starter - AN obviously prefers to play a lone striker, and I think we all agree Hooper isn''t that guy. If he chips in half a dozen (or maybe more) goals at regular intervals during the season, he''ll more than justify his place in the squad IMO.I''d be willing to wager that if he stays fit, he''ll score more goals per minute on the pitch than Jerome, Grabban or Wolf this season. The complete player he ain''t, but a clinical finisher will always be a valuable commodity in the top flight.

[jaemae2 0]

You have more faith of that happening, than I and personally I''ve seen the PL defenses (even bad ones)be too much for him and don''t want to see it again. I will concede that if he''s not relied upon in more than small doses I can see argument for that. Personally even for a 3rd/or 4th option a slightly more versatile striker I would prefer, but that''s me and I''ll tap out of the discussion. I have no problem talking about Hooper rationally on a reasonable post.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

[quote user="jaemae2"]You have more faith of that happening, than I and personally I''ve seen the PL defenses (even bad ones)be too much for him and don''t want to see it again. I will concede that if he''s not relied upon in more than small doses I can see argument for that. Personally even for a 3rd/or 4th option a slightly more versatile striker I would prefer, but that''s me and I''ll tap out of the discussion. I have no problem talking about Hooper rationally on a reasonable post.[/quote]I just hope that whoever fills that Number 9 shirt has some goals in him, because I don''t see any of our current strikers hitting double figures next season. Would love any of them to prove me wrong, mind!